Dermatology body scan

I don't know the right name of the procedure, but I'm going tomorrow to have my dermatologist do a full body scan to check moles, sunspots, etc. They told me I'd have to put on a robe at the office.

I've been wondering this for weeks now - is he going to ask me to take off the robe entirely, or how will he see various parts of me without me completely exposing myself? The dr is a friend of ours and I am totally against the idea of being naked in front of him. Should I wear a bikini underneath the robe, or what? If it were a woman, and a non-friend, I wouldn't care, but in this case I care a lot.

I've never known anyone who's done one of these, so I don't know what to expect. Anyone have experience?

I get the full body scan every year. So does my 7 yrs. old daughter.
(We just went to the dermatologist on Tuesday.)

I left on my bra and panties then I put on the hospital gown. Basically,
you are standing there in your bra & panties while they look over every
inch, nook & cranny on your body.

She lifted up my bra and examined each breast and under each breast. She also
pulled down my underwear and examined my booty. She took off my socks and
looked between my toes. She rooted through my hair to see my scalp.
She seriously looked EVERYWHERE!!!!!

This is why my dermatologist is a woman!!

Corie

"A smile is a curve that can get a lot of things straight."
-fortune cookie

I had my first full body mole check last year. They had me undress completely and put on a robe. For most of the exam, the dermatologist (a woman) moved the robe to check areas. However, at the end she had me lie down on my stomach to check my back, the back of my legs, butt, everything. The gown opens in the back so I was completely exposed. Not my favorite part of it.

Will a female nurse / assistant be present for your exam? I can see why you would be anxious about it.

I have to add, the moles I was worried about were fine, but she did see a spot on my nose that looked suspicious. I had it removed right then and luckily it was benign. The whole experience has made me a lot more conscious of sun exposure though.

I was going every year for a while and fell out of the habit and started again in my new town. The dr. removed certain areas for biopsy and found melanoma stage 0 on one. I now go back every 3 months and yes, it is detailed. They do check between the labia on me and in my throat as well as in ears and he thoroughly goes through the hair on my head as well. Oh forgot-there is some "cheek-spreading" but it is quick. I think he knows how strange this is for people and is quick....

My Dr. is a man, we get along, and he has a female assitant in every room that is present, even for non-scan appointments. I don't mind. After giving birth, I have no shame.

but-if this is a family friend, I think I would feel strange if you see them outside of medical reasons.

Oh sh!t!! I seriously had no idea about all this, and now I don't know what to do...appointment is first thing tomorrow morning. As I said, it's one thing for a woman or at least non-friend to do this, completely another to have a male friend do it (our kids play together, we frequently run into him and his wife at the park, church, whatever). yeah, not going to happen.

Now I've gotta go figure out how I'm going to get out of this, or how I can at least limit the scan to "publically visible" areas.

Oh sh!t!! I seriously had no idea about all this, and now I don't know what to do...appointment is first thing tomorrow morning. As I said, it's one thing for a woman or at least non-friend to do this, completely another to have a male friend do it (our kids play together, we frequently run into him and his wife at the park, church, whatever). yeah, not going to happen.

Now I've gotta go figure out how I'm going to get out of this, or how I can at least limit the scan to "publically visible" areas.

I completely agree that you should be comfortable when doing this, but if you limit the scan, please go back and get a complete one. The melanoma my physician discovered was on my breast, on a freckle that I had had for years and never would have suspected was an issue.....perhaps he is part of a group and can switch the scheduling to a partner tomorrow?......